"Thy kingdom come." --MATTHEW vi.

10

You will instantly recognize this petition as being one of those contained in what
is generally denominated, "the Lord's Prayer." In considering these words I
propose briefly to explain,--

I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE KINGDOM OF GOD.

II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN AN ACCEPTABLE OFFERING OF THIS PETITION TO GOD.

III. THAT THE STATE OF MIND THAT CAN ACCEPTABLY OFFER THIS PETITION TO GOD, IS
UNIVERSALLY BINDING UPON ALL MEN.

IV. THAT IT IS ALSO A CONDITION OF SALVATION.

I. What is meant by the kingdom of God.

In some respects there are two ideas concerning the kingdom of God. One class of
divines suppose that the kingdom of God is purely spiritual; others suppose that
the Lord Jesus Christ will reign personally upon the earth, that when he comes a
second time, it will be to set up his kingdom in this world, and reign here in his
visible presence. These two classes, however, agree in this--that his kingdom must
be spiritual, whether outward and visible or not; in either case he can reign over
man no further then he reigns in their hearts. A spiritual kingdom must be set up
in the soul--the Divine law must be written in the heart. If the Lord Jesus Christ
should come and dwell visibly in London, walk in its streets, and mix with its
people, and be here as truly as the Lord Mayor is, what would it advantage the
people unless they were converted and truth prevailed in their hearts? Unless the
laws of his kingdom were written in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, the people of
London would be none the better for the Lord Jesus Christ's living amongst them.
Therefore, whether the Lord Jesus Christ come and reign personally or not, his
kingdom will be established and his dominion extended by the same means that it is
now. When persons pray, therefore, "thy kingdom come," if they pray sincerely,
they pray that there may be universal holiness in the earth--that this kingdom of
grace may be set up in all hearts, and that Christ should exercise universal
influence over the minds of men. I am to notice--

II. What is implied in an acceptable offering of this petition to God.

And here let me say that it was no part of the design of our Lord Jesus to give
his disciples merely a form of prayer, the words of which they might repeat
without knowing or caring what they meant or said; he did not give this prayer to
be repeated over as a ceremony merely, without significance or interest. There is
no greater profanity in the universe than to gabber it over in such a manner as it
is frequently used. The Lord Jesus gave this prayer to be understood, and that the
petition should be offered with sincerity and with faith, and in a certain state
of mind. Who can doubt this? Did he intend to teach his disciples and his people
in after-ages to be hypocrites? No, indeed! Did he intend them to offer insincere
worship? No, indeed! Then he must have designed that they should offer these
petitions with sincerity. Now, the question is, what is implied in sincerity? When
is a man sincere in offering this petition to God? What are the characteristics
and elements of sincerity? What is implied in being sincere?

1. I observe, first, that a sincere and acceptable offering of this petition

implies repentance of past sins,--for sin rejects God, and tramples down his laws.
No man who lives in sin can offer this prayer without gross hypocrisy--that's very
clear; the man who rejects Christ and tramples on his laws, lives in sin, and
cannot offer such a prayer as this acceptably. It implies, then, repentance and
renunciation of all sin.

2. It implies confidence in God: observe, it is a petition to God, that his

kingdom may come. Now, if an individual have not implicit confidence in the
character and wisdom of God, in the perfection of his government, and in all the
provisions of his kingdom, why should he pray it may come? Now, it is not enough
that a man believes as a mere speculation that God is good, that his law is good,
that his kingdom is what it should be; the devil knows this as well as anybody
else. It is not enough that a man should admit intellectually that these things
are so, but he must confide in God with his whole heart: to offer this petition
acceptably he must really have heart-confidence in God's existence, in his wisdom,
in his universal right to legislate for the world, in the perfection and wisdom of
his government; he must have full confidence in God, I say, ere he can offer this
petition acceptably--this is very certain.

3. Another thing implied in the acceptable offering of this petition is, that the
heart obeys the law of God. An individual, for example, who does not in his heart
submit to God's law, cannot pray that his kingdom may come, for what would he mean
by that? That others may obey it, that others may submit to Christ's authority,
that God's law may be set up in others' hearts, but not in his own. He cannot pray
acceptably thus. The petitioner must have the law of God set up in his own heart,
and his own life must be governed by it. But this leads me to say,

4. That, inasmuch as man's outward life is always of necessity, by a law of his

nature, as his heart is, it implies an obedient life as well as an obedient heart.
The term "heart" is used in various senses in the Scriptures--but whenever it is
used in the sense that implies virtue, it means the Will. We say of those whose
will is devoted to God, that their hearts are right--they are devoted to God,
consecrated to him. Now, if we consider the heart as the will--and that is the
sense in which I now use the term--the will governs the outward life; and if this
will, or heart, devotes itself to the will of God, and yields itself up to
obedience to the law of God, the outward life must be in conformity with the law
of God, so far as it is understood. Let no man say, then, that his heart is better
than his life. Let no man say that his heart has received the kingdom of God,
while his outward life disobeys it.

5. Sincerity in offering this petition implies universal sympathy with God. By

this I mean, first, that the petitioner really does sympathise with the great end
which God is endeavouring to secure through the instrumentality of his law, and by
the government of his kingdom. Now, government, remember, is not an end, but a
means; neither is God's government an end, but a means. He proposes to ensure
certain great ends by means of his government and his kingdom. Now, when a man
prays that God's kingdom may come, to be sincere in his petition, he must fully
sympathise with the end which is sought to be accomplished, and on which God has
set his heart, which is his own glory, and the interests of his kingdom. A man, to
offer this petition acceptably--"thy kingdom come," must understand this to be the
great end, and set his heart upon it; to this he must consecrate his being, as the
end on which God has set his heart. But it also implies, secondly, sympathy with
God in reference to the means by which he is endeavouring to secure this great and
glorious end. Again, sympathy with God implies a real and hearty aversion to all
that stands in the way of the progress of his kingdom--all sin, in every form and
in every shape. The individual that is not deeply and thoroughly opposed to sin,
does not want God's kingdom to come; for God's kingdom would destroy all the works
of the devil, would destroy sin in every form and degree. Those who offer this
petition in sincerity, virtually pray that all sin may cease. Now, how can a man
who does not cease from sin himself present such a petition as this? How can he
pray for God's kingdom to come, while he is violating the known laws of that
kingdom? If a man be not opposed to all sin, he cannot offer this petition
acceptably.

6. It is plain that sincerity in offering this petition must imply supreme

attachment to the King, his law and government. Observe, the petition does not
express a partial attachment to the kingdom of God, but is an expression of entire
agreement with God in reference to his kingdom--a universal submission, a
universal attachment to the King and his entire administration. Every one, I
think, will say that no man is or can be sincere in offering this petition, if he
is not heartily and devotedly attached to the King and his government--to every
principle and precept of his holy law and Gospel, and to his entire
administration.

7. A sincere offering of this petition implies a sympathy with all the means that
are used to establish this kingdom in the earth--to establish it in the hearts and
souls of men. Now, if an individual prays that this kingdom may come, he prays
that men may be made holy, as the condition of their being made happy, and of
their being saved. Now, the man who does not truly love the souls of men, and
desire their salvation, never offers this petition in sincerity; in order to do
this, he must care for the souls of men.

8. It implies a supreme desire that God's kingdom may come. It is one thing for an
individual to say "thy kingdom come," and another thing for him supremely to
desire that it may come. It is common for a man to ask in words for what he does
not deeply and sincerely desire; but I said that a man, to offer this prayer
acceptably, must deeply, and sincerely, and supremely desire that God's kingdom
may come. But, if a man is in bondage to his own lusts, and desires their
gratification supremely, no one in this house, I presume, would affirm that such a
man could offer this petition acceptably. Now, I suppose that, to offer this
petition acceptably, there must be a supreme desire for the object prayed for;
that no desire shall be allowed to prevail over this; that no merely selfish
enjoyment or selfish indulgence shall have a chief place in the heart. Let me ask
any one of you this question,--Suppose you should see a man on his knees offering
this petition, and if you knew, at the same time, that he was a self-indulgent
man, not willing to make any sacrifices, or hardly any, to promote the interests
of this kingdom, spending ten times more on his own lusts than he gave to the
cause of Christ, how could any of you believe that such a man was sincere in
offering such a prayer? Such a man, if he uses this petition, virtually
says,--"Lord, let thy kingdom come without my exercising any self-denial; let
Providence enrich me, but let me keep all I get: let thy kingdom come, but let me
seek my own gratifications." Now, if a man should pray in words in this way, you
would say it is little less than blasphemy! But he might not say this in words for
very shame; yet, suppose he said, "let thy kingdom come," and acted quite the
opposite to any such desire, would his prayer be any the better?

9. But not only does an acceptable offering of this petition imply supreme
desire--that is, without* more influence than other desires--but it implies also,
that the mind is supremely devoted to the end for which it prays; the voluntary
power of the will devotes itself, and devotes the whole being, to the promotion of
this end. Now, suppose we should hear a man pray in this way--"Lord, let thy
kingdom come, if it can come without my being devoted to its interests; let thy
kingdom come, if it can come without my ever giving my heart, time, energies,
property, possessions, sympathies, and prayers, to promote it; I will say let thy
kingdom come, but I will go on in my own way, and do nothing to promote it or
hasten its approach:" you would say that this is not an acceptable offering of
this petition. I suppose that none of you are disposed to deny that an acceptable
offering of this petition does really imply that the heart is truly and sincerely
devoted to the kingdom of God.

10. An acceptable offering of this petition must imply self-denial. Now, please to
understand what I mean by self-denial; remember, it is not the forsaking of one
gratification for another: it sometimes happens that men forsake the gratification
of one appetite in order that they may gratify another. Persons may deny
themselves in a great many respects, and yet be guilty of much selfishness.
Suppose a man be avaricious, and love money, his heart is supremely set upon
acquiring it, and hoarding it up. That man may be very frugal in his expenditure--
he may be very much disgusted with many who spend money for their own
gratification; this avaricious man may deny himself many things; he may go so far
as to deny himself the comforts of life, as misers do, and berate everybody who do
otherwise; but the man is selfish nevertheless: the love of money prevails over
the love of everything else--his heart is set upon that. What people call self-
denial, is often no self-denial at all; self-love is very frequently at the
bottom, after all. But real self-denial consists in this--an individual's refusing
to live to please himself; to promote his own profit and interests, as
distinguished from God's kingdom; who refuses to do anything simply and entirely
for self. It implies that an individual ceases from self and consecrates himself
to God; lives to please God and not himself, and sympathises with nothing whose
ultimate end is not to serve and glorify God. Now, when a man who does not deny
himself offers this petition to God, what does he mean? He is a rebel against God,
opposed to his law. Why does he want God's kingdom to come? Let no selfish man,
then--no man who lives in any form of self-pleasing, suppose that he can offer
this prayer acceptably.

11. It implies, on the part of those who offer this prayer, a real and whole-
hearted embarking of their all with God in this great enterprise. If we offer it
sincerely, it implies that we have come into such sympathy with him as to embark
ourselves, body and soul, for time and eternity, our characters and affections,
our all, in making common cause with God in the advancement of the interests of
his kingdom. Now, I think it cannot be doubted that all this is included in a
sincere offering of the prayer, "thy kingdom come." Take the case of an earthly
prince desiring to establish a kingdom--true patriotism consists in sincerely
seeking the promotion of the aim of the prince. The fact is plain, that the
acceptable offering of this petition must imply that those who offer it have given
themselves up to the promotion of this object; that they have embarked their all
in this great enterprise; that for this end they live, move, and have their being.

12. Let me say again, that it implies a fear towards whatever would be calculated
to retard the progress of this kingdom. Persons in a right state of mind hate
everything that would hinder the advancement of this kingdom, because they have
set their hearts on its establishment. Sin and every form of evil is loathsome to
them, because it retards the establishment of the kingdom of God on the earth. It
is a law of man's being which makes him quiveringly, tremblingly alive to any
interests on which he has set his heart, and causes him to be keen-sighted, and
ever on the watch to remove anything that stands in the way of the progress of
that upon which his hopes are so deeply set. Now, be it remembered this law of
mind invariably shows itself in religious, as well as in worldly matters; it does
do so, and must.

13. I observe, in the next place, that those who offer this petition sincerely,
manifest grief and indignation at whatever is contrary to God's will. If they see
an error, but which does not involve sin, they are grieved; but if it involves
sin, they feel indignation. I do not mean malicious indignation, but a benevolent,
a holy, a compassionate indignation.
14. Lastly, under this head, I observe that a right offering of this petition
implies the joyful exercise of an economy in our lives, whether of time, talents,
influence, or whatever else we possess; there is a joyful economising of
everything for the promotion of this end. Now, who does not know that when men set
their hearts upon any great object, that just in proportion to their attachment to
that object will be their devotedness to it--just in that proportion are they
cheerful, eager, and ready in using every economy for the promotion of this
object--they husband everything for the promotion of that end. As an illustration
of this, let me notice an affecting circumstance that occurred within my own
knowledge. A woman, who was a slave in one of the southern states of America, had
escaped from her bondage, but she had left her husband and children in slavery:
the master of these individuals offered to sell them their time, and let them go
free. This poor woman gave herself up to earn the money to redeem them; and it was
very affecting to see how she toiled, and denied herself even the necessaries of
life, in order to secure their liberty. Nothing daunted her; no hardship
discouraged her; in the cold, when the snow was on the ground, you might see her
working, with but little clothing, and her feet bare; if you gave her a pair of
shoes or a garment, she would soon sell them, to get money to increase the fund
which was to secure the liberation of her husband and children. Now, this poor
creature practised economy for the promotion of the great end she had in view; I
do not say that was wise economy in her case, for she nearly sacrificed her own
life to it. Now, you mothers can understand and appreciate this woman's conduct;
if you had husbands, sons, or daughters in slavery, would you not do as she did?
This woman had no love for money, or for anything, only as it sustained a relation
to the one great end on which her heart was set. This circumstance illustrates, I
say, most powerfully this great principle, that whenever our hearts are supremely
set upon any object, we count everything dear as it sustains a relation to, and
secures that object; and he, therefore, who prays sincerely, "thy kingdom come,"
must have his heart so set upon the object, as to exercise a joyful and perpetual
economy, with an especial reference to that end.

III. The state of mind that can acceptably offer this petition, is universally
binding upon men--all the moral agents of our race.

The heathen themselves, by virtue of their own nature, know that there is a God,
and that this God is good. They know that they ought to love their neighbours as
themselves, and to love God supremely. The Bible teaches us that the light of
nature, which they possess, leaves them wholly without excuse, if they do not love
and obey their Creator. To believe and embrace the Gospel, then, is an universal
duty. This you will all admit, and, therefore, I need not enlarge upon it.

IV. This state of mind is a condition of salvation.

Understand me, my hearers, I do not mean that it is a ground of acceptance with

God--that is not what I mean: I do not mean that men are saved by their own
righteousness--that on this ground they will be accepted of God. I know, and you
know, that men are to be saved by the righteousness of Christ, and not by their
own righteousness; therefore, when I say that this state of mind is a condition of
salvation, I mean what I say--it is a condition as distinct from a ground; a
condition in the sense that a man cannot be saved without being in this state of
mind, but that this state of mind is not the ground of salvation. "All have
sinned, and" therefore "come short of the glory of God." First, to be in this
state of mind is a natural condition of salvation. Could anybody that cannot offer
this petition be happy in heaven? What would such a man do in heaven? God has
perfect dominion there. Now, unless an individual is in a state of mind that he
can sincerely, acceptably, and prevailingly offer this petition to God, unless it
be the natural expression of his heart, what possible enjoyment could he have in
heaven? None whatever. Secondly, it is governmentally a condition of salvation.
Every attribute of God in his moral government of the universe forbids any man to
enter heaven who cannot present this petition acceptably to God. But we cannot
further enlarge.

Let us now conclude with a few remarks.

1. This state of mind is not only a condition of salvation in the sense in which I
have mentioned, but it is also a state of mind that must always be a condition of
prevailing with God in prayer. Now, let me ask, Can any man expect to prevail with
God if he is in a state of opposition to him, or not in the state of mind I have
already described? While in a state of rebellion, while resisting God's authority,
not having the heart in sympathy with God, not desiring the kingdom of God to
come, how can an individual expect to have his prayer answered? No, neither this
nor any other petition--that is very plain. It is true that God hears the young
ravens when they cry--a mere cry of distress. And even when Satan himself prayed
to the Lord Jesus Christ that he might not be sent out of the country, but that he
might go into the herd of swine, his petition was granted; but the devil was not
in a state of mind for prevailing, in the sense of offering prevailing prayer to
God. I speak now of a state of mind that can secure the things promised, and this
must be the state of mind in which a petitioner can acceptably offer the Lord's
prayer--he must be within the meaning of the injunction of Christ's promise, as a
condition upon which he has promised to hear and answer.

2. We can see from this subject why it is that prayer is often repeated by the
petitioner, and is so seldom answered. God is "the hearer of prayer," not of
hypocritical utterances in which the heart does not unite. Such prayers are not
heard, because, in truth, they are not prayers at all. Individuals may repeat the
Lord's Prayer every day, ten times a-day, and the more frequently they repeat it,
the more they grieve the Spirit of God, and expose themselves to God's righteous
indignation.

3. Those who offer this prayer acceptably are universal and very liberal
contributors to the great cause of missions, and zealous supporters of all those
various societies whose aim is to extend Christ's kingdom in the earth. By this I
do not mean to say that these persons are always in a condition to give large
amounts; but they will be cheerful and large contributors according to their
means. And why? For the same reason that the slave mother was a cheerful and large
contributor to that upon which she had set her heart, because their hearts are set
upon the coming of Christ's kingdom in all its fulness, and power, and
blessedness. I know that some may not be able to contribute more than their two
mites, but I know, also, that they can give even this little with a full heart and
a liberal hand. In a congregation to which I preached several years, in the city
of New York, there was a woman named Dina, who had been brought up a slave, and
continued a slave until she was forty years old and incapable of work; but
although so poor, she always gave a quarter of a dollar--about a shilling--every
Sabbath, to assist in meeting the current expenses of the congregation, and other
things to which the money was applied. This was a free church; all the seats were
free to every one. When Dina was asked how she could afford to give so much, she
replied that the first quarter of a dollar which was given her in the week she
laid by till the next Sabbath, for the purposes of the sanctuary. "I live upon God
every day," she said, "and I know he will give me what I want." At the monthly
missionary meeting, also, a box was carried round, and individuals put in their
money, wrapped up in a piece of paper, with their names written upon it.
Constantly, among the rest, was Dina's name written on a paper, enclosing a
dollar. One of the collectors asked her if she really meant to put in so much as a
dollar, and with some surprise, she replied, "Why, it's only a dollar--it's only a
dollar; can't I give a dollar a-month." This poor woman seemed to have no interest
in anything, only as it bore upon the advancement and interests of the Redeemer's
kingdom.

Now, it must be that individuals who can really offer the Lord's Prayer, and mean
it, will prayerfully do everything they can towards promoting his kingdom.

4. This leads me to say again,--The end for which a man lives will always reveal
itself in his life; his sympathies will lie in the direction in which his efforts
tend, and the reverse. If a man sincerely offers this petition, he will do
everything in his power to spread a knowledge of the Gospel among men, and so
extend the Saviour's reign upon earth.

5. The true Christian finds it "more blessed to give than to receive;" for
example, the slave mother never felt so happy as when she was paying the price of
her husband's and children's release. When she gave that money to the master, she
felt it much more blessed to give than to receive; a great deal more blessed than
to have spent it to please herself, to gratify her own appetites. Impenitent men
are greatly deceived when they profess that Christians feel it a great sacrifice,
a great trial, to be asked to contribute of their substance for the promotion of
religion. I have known impenitent men keep away from God's house because they felt
it to be such a hardship to be called upon to give to a collection; and I have
even heard professors of religion talk in that way, and have abstained from going
to meeting when there was a collection, because they did not like to be dunned.
Now, what sort of a conception have such men of religion? Why, they know nothing
about it. Suppose that a number of men were to meet together for the originating
and carrying out of some object of business or benevolence, which they professed
to have deeply at heart, and that when they came together, they found that money
must be subscribed by each of them, and they were to say that it was a great and
intense abomination to be called upon to give money,--what would you think of
their sincerity? But would they act thus? Why, no, they would be anxious to give
of their substance, in order that the object which they had at heart might be
realised. The real Christian never gives grudgingly, but thankfully and joyfully.
When you have dropped your contribution into the box, Christian, don't[sic.] your
heart go away echoing, "God bless it! God bless it!" And if you have nothing to
give yourself, you will pray for a blessing on the contributions of others. A
collection will now be taken up for the London Missionary Society, before we close
this morning's service, and another, for the same purpose, will be made in the
evening; but I trust no person will stay away on that account. Amen. *The word
"without" should probably read "with"--Ed.